How to conduct EMR Vendor Demos

We're unable to brush over the delay in posting this interview as we're looking at a tanned Mark Anderson fresh from the TEPR conference which completed last week May 22, 2008 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. An upgrade delayed our concentration on content.

The subject for today's Casual Friday discussion is How to conduct a vendor demo.

We're hoping for some feedback from any EMR Vendor sales representatives about the issues they have with Physician demonstrations. Be of interest to get their perspective.

Click the Play button below to watch our discussion.

What tips can Mark Anderson offer.

1. Talk to the vendors -- they always want to present what they're used to presenting.
2. Mark recommends that the Doctors create some kind of documentation script around their workflow and have each of the vendors present that using the same workflow methodology
   
   
   The sound of an in-bound Skype Chat Bubble at 1m 25s ... is probably me calling Bob. Oops.
   
   
   
3. Just looking for an EMR? Start with the Patient Check-in. How does the nurse know which patient to bring back to the office, then how the nurses would enter in vital signs, present illness, etc.
4. This also depends on the Physician Specialty. If orthodpedic, you would do x-rays first before having the patient back to the office.
5. Propose that you use some Sample Patients? Look at your types of workflow then pick a few patients. An existing Patient on their 2nd or 3rd repeat visit, and a New Patient and one with multiple complications.
6. Process is the same across all the demonstrations -- That is the Check-in / Check-out process should be the same. Have each vendor demonstrate that.
7. It is then easier for the practice to do side-by-side comparison between products if using the same scripted workflow.
8. Often a sales person may not be trained to do that sort of demonstration or they say "It doesn't help us to show how great our product is, if we follow your type of demo, because our product does more".
9. How many demos? One for each of their top-five? For PM and EMR. You may do separate demonstrations for each.
10. Get down to the top #2. Come back for a second or third demo with the same product.
11. Like watching a movie. You see different things the second or third time you watch the film.
12. How long should the demo be? Webcast should be 45 + questions. If the vendor is on site. 1 hour for demo, 1 hour on PM, 1 hour on EMR and 1/2 hour on viability and implementation.
13. What advice can offer the EMR vendor salesman? Know who your audience is. Know the size of the practice, know the Doctors Workflow. Does the product meet the physicians requirements, not that your is the best product. This is not about functionality or bells and whitles. The physician should have done all basic check before they get the vendor in for a serious demonstration.
    

Thanks again to Mark Anderson, AC Group for supporting our Getting Started resources for Doctors Researching EMR solutions.  

For more information about the subjects discussed here you can contact Mark Anderson at the details listed below.
See our other Getting Started resources here.

Mark R. Anderson CPHIMS, FHIMSS
CEO and Healthcare IT Futurist 
AC Group, Inc.
118 Lyndsey Drive
Montgomery, TX  77316
(c) 281-413-5572
(f)  832-550-2338
email: mra@acgroup.org
web: www.acgroup.org